OFFSTAGE: Why Blake Shelton Almost Said No

(CMT Offstage keeps a 24/7 watch on everything that’s happening with country music artists behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.)

Now that Blake Shelton is on The Voice, it’s all anyone can talk about. As if this show invented television talent shows. It didn’t, of course, because American Idol did that. (Or maybe it was The Gong Show that really started it all.) Anyway, Shelton admitted to USA Today
that he wasn’t really up for that kind of gig. “I was turned off a little by Idol and X Factor. There’s judges sitting there, and America rips on competitors,” Shelton said. But things are different on the new show for Coach Shelton, and his intentions are good. He wants to help and encourage, not be mean and make fun of people. “I want America to hear the best vocalists out there who maybe are a little bit bashful. I want them to be heard because they’re great. If I’m offering someone some advice and taking the time to do it, they can either take it or leave it,” he added. He takes his job on the show seriously, and so far seems to have only encouraging words. I think maybe he gets all the nasty mean comments out of his system on Twitter.